Sustainable Consumption and Tourism Market Management

Dear Colleagues,

The rapid development of global tourism and its complex impact on environment and society has generated increasing interest in the sustainable dimension of tourism among both researchers and policy makers. Over the last three decades, more and more studies have approached the topics of sustainable tourism development, planning and management, or sustainable tourism consumption. The United Nations have included sustainable tourism management and consumption among the global development goals and policy (UNEP, 2015). However, existing studies have highlighted some major challenges related to these topics, such as the difficulty of linking theory to practice in the implementation of sustainable tourism projects and visitor practices that balance economic growth and sustainability. Some authors have pleaded for de-growth of tourism development and consumption and more sustainable consumerism, whilst others have even questioned the concept of sustainable tourism itself. Another solution was found in alternative tourism forms (e.g., ecotourism, agro-tourism, volunteer tourism, cycle tourism, etc.) as a growing potential market for more responsible forms of tourism consumption.

In order to support the development of more sustainable tourism and consumption patterns, both sides of the tourism market need to be addressed, with efficient planning and management of both tourism supply and demand. The existing literature has shown that policy makers and destination managers can influence the tourist supply as well as the visitors’ behavior and attitudes. This can be achieved by introducing new regulations, new technologies and patterns of production, through education or new destination management approaches that balance the environmental and economic performance, supporting community involvement in decision-making. On the consumer side, there is increasing demand for greener forms of tourism, as the number of responsible tourists, who are more aware of their impact on environment and society, is increasing. Tourist consumption has been analyzed from the perspective of tourists, firms and government regulations, but only a few studies have approached the sustainability dimension of this subject.

In the context of the present tourism market, there is still a need for more theoretical and practical approaches to new ways of analyzing, designing and implementing sustainable tourism consumption and management patterns at both local and wider spatial levels (regional, national or transnational). It is clear that changes in the consumption and management patterns need to happen at a societal level, and tourism is a part of this global change. Therefore, a better understanding of the sustainable consumer market is very important in order to advance the implementation of sustainable practice models in tourism.

The aim of this Special Issue is to highlight new approaches to the topic of sustainable tourism consumption and management as well as to the planning and implementation of sustainable visitor behavior. We invite both theoretical, methodological and empirical studies from various areas concerned with the topic of sustainable tourism management, from research, policy and practice fields. Multidisciplinary approaches to the analysis, implementation and management of new, sustainable tourism consumption patterns are welcome, especially those relevant for implementation at higher levels (regional, national and transnational).

For this Special Issue, original research articles and reviews are welcome. Research areas may include (but are not limited to) the following:

• Sustainable tourism products and experiences analysis, design and implementation;
• Alternative tourism and sustainable visitor practices;
• Responsible tourism behavior and discourses;
• Assessment of sustainable tourist consumption;
• Promoting sustainable tourism behavior and products;
• Managing tourism consumption in sustainable destinations;
• Conceptual models for measuring and implementing sustainable tourism practices;
• Case studies of sustainable tourism consumption and management;
• New technologies that support sustainable tourism consumption and management;
• Spatial planning and management of sustainable tourism development;
• Sustainable destinations;
• Sustainable tourism narratives and consumption patterns.

We look forward to receiving your contributions.

Dr. Oana Mihaela Stoleriu
Dr. Alexandra Cehan
Guest Editors

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• sustainable tourism consumption
• tourist experience
• responsible tourism
• sustainable tourism management
• sustainable tourist behavior
• sustainable destinations